Week 7 update

Calista moved up to 100 mg of peanut flour today.  That is double her previous dose!

I found a site online that said that half a peanut is 178 mg.  I will ask Dr. Wasserman at our next visit so I can relate the amount of peanut flour to a whole peanut.

Week 7!

Calista and Daddy made the trip this week, so I'm anxiously waiting to hear about the visit.  Today, her class was scheduled to attend a field trip (with other schools) that involved a peanut butter cracker snack.  Hate that!  She was so sad to miss, but it reinforces the reason we are visiting Dr. Wasserman each week.  This journey will be well worth any sacrifice.

I wanted to share a little information from the newsletter I get from Dallas Allergy.

As of March 21st
Peanut: 70 complete, 22 active
Milk: 37 complete, 9 active
Egg: 25 complete, 4 active
Wheat: 3 complete
Cashew: 1 complete

Pecan and Soy Treatments are now being offered.

WOW!  I'm happy that Cal is one of the 22 actively involved in peanut desensitization.

After she completes the desensitization, she will be on "maintenance".  She will have 8 peanuts twice a day for the first 3 months and then 8 peanuts once a day (for an undetermined amount of time).  8 peanuts is 14 Peanut M&Ms.  Wow...to have peanut M&Ms again   :)

During maintenance (and beyond), she will be able to eat anything over and above her 8 peanuts, she just has to continue the regular exposure to the allergen.

The Desensitization Journey - Week 6

If you are sick, you cannot increase.  Yeah, yeah...I read that part, but I really didn't think about it being a big deal.  Well, it is a big deal when your kiddo gets sick.

It really isn't a big deal, but my brain is focused on this being an 18 week journey and not a 20+ week journey. BUT, the point is that we are here and we are doing this.  And THIS is something I never imagined (in my wildest dreams) that we would actually be doing.

First setback with a semi-diagnosis of asthma, so we were sent home with several medications.  Then Calista got strep last week.  Everything seems to be improving, so I've got my fingers crossed that she can get back on track this Friday.

Another setback (or setback #1 continues)

Calista was wheezing last Friday at her increase appointment.  She has never been diagnosed with asthma, but has had wheezing before.  As a precaution, Dr. Wasserman prescribed allergy medications, puffers, a nebulizer...all sorts of stuff.  After six days in the "yellow zone" with only a little improvement, we added another prescription today.  We have to get this stuff under control before we can increase her dose.  Increasing while she has allergy/asthma issues is more likely to cause a reaction.  I am disappointed that we aren't increasing, but I know that Dr. Wasserman is trying to help Calista and rushing through this will not help anyone.  Keeping my fingers crossed that we can return next Friday.

"Peanut tastes good"

When I gave Calista her dose this evening (50 mgs peanut flour in a spoonful of applesauce) - she said "peanut tastes good." Maybe one day, she will get to enjoy a whole peanut!

No increase...

Calista's seasonal allergies have been acting up (along with everyone else in Waco), so we weren't able to increase today.  Instead, the doctor heard wheezing and decided to send her home with an army of meds and a nebulizer.  I think this is more of a precaution than anything else.  We will take Allegra, Albuterol, Advair, Flonase and 50 mgs. peanut flour every day.  Hopefully she is feeling better by next Thursday so she can increase her dose on Friday.  Really this is just a setback (hopefully not a major one) and I've got my fingers crossed that she can get back on track next week.  I do appreciate how cautious the doctor and his staff are.  I know that all of this is out of concern that allergies/asthma symptoms plus a dose increase could result in a reaction and no one wants that.

Peanut Desensitization : Dr. Richard Wasserman : Moms Everyday

Peanut Desensitization : Dr. Richard Wasserman : Moms Everyday

Interview with Dr. Wasserman today.

Week 4

We are now using capsules! No more peanut solution requiring refrigeration.

We mix the 50 mg of peanut flour into applesauce (usually). The pictures are this evening's dose mixed in strawberry applesauce.

Graduated to Capsules!

We have graduated to capsules of peanut flour. Calista is now taking 50mg of peanut flour twice a day. She was on a peanut solution that required refrigeration, but the capsules do not require it.

We must open the capsules and mix the peanut flour in juice, Kool Aid, pudding or applesauce. So far, so good. This morning's dose was in Kool Aid. This evening in pudding. I think we are going to stick with the pudding.

It sure looks like a lot of peanut! Thankfully, it doesn't slow her down. I worried that she would be hesitant to take the dose, but no problems yet.

We ran into a boy who had progressed to 1 whole peanut - today was his first day at that level and his mom said it took fifteen minutes to convince him to eat it. We reminded Cal tonight that this is peanut flour (just peanut all ground up), so we are hoping she doesn't hesitate in a few weeks when she reaches the whole peanut stage.

I am still amazed by this treatment and the life-changing results that these patients are having!

Week 4

Sitting in Dr. Wasserman's office at the start of Week 4! We are off the solution and onto capsules now. I'm very excited about this new phase.

The pictures are from last week.

MomsEveryday on KWTX

I'm so excited about this and a little nervous too.  I'm going to be on MomsEveryday on KWTX next week to talk about Calista's desensitization treatment.   Dr. Wasserman is going to Skype in during the interview!  I am happy that Emily Iazzetti is helping us get the word out about this life-changing treatment.

I will post more info when I get it (when show will air, etc.).  Here's a link to the MomsEveryday website: http://www.momseveryday.com/centraltexas